Players speak at Media Day ahead of National League Finals weekend

Ballincollig’s Latrell Jossell says his team “are peaking at the perfect moment”, as they target a league and cup double this weekend. They face Killester in the Domino’s Men’s Super League final at 1615 on Sunday, which is live on TG4.

Josell was MVP when Ballincollig defeated Garvey’s Tralee Warriors in the Domino’s MSL National Cup final in January. He and fellow AmericanLatavious Mitchell, as well as Englishman Josh Steel have been instrumental in securing top spot in the regular season, while defeating Limerick Celtics and Griffith College Éanna in the playoffs. The Cork club are now seeking their second league title in four seasons. Speaking at Tuesday’s media day at the National Basketball Arena, Jossell said: “Starting 0-2 meant in almost every game this season we’ve been put in a tough situation, but that has made us resilient and when we’re in positions that most teams aren’t comfortable in, we’re able to get through it.

Killester meanwhile have their eyes on a first league title since 2013/14, having lost out to UCC Demons in the final last season. Farouq Raheem was part of that squad and believes the meeting with Ballincollig  is the matchup both teams will have wanted: “I think it’s the perfect final. It’s one versus two from the regular season, we finished with very similar records, we’ve beaten them when they were without Latrell (Jossell) and they’ve beaten us when Paul (Dick) was out – so both teams will hopefully be playing with a full deck for the trilogy and it’ll be a really exciting game.”  

Killester finished third in the regular season table and eliminated St. Vincent’s and Belfast Star in the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the playoffs to reach Sunday’s decider. 

UCC Glanmire are looking for a third Domino’s Women’s Super League title in five years and their first since 2022/23, when they take on Trinity Meteors at 1315 in Sunday’s final at the National Basketball Arena, which is live on TG4. Mark Scannell’s side finished third in the table, winning seven out of their last eight regular season games. Their potent American duo of Viane Cumber and Jewel Watkins have been vital in the run-in and continued their form in the playoffs, scoring 30 and 20 points respectively in their 89-72 semi-final success over FloMAX Liffey Celtics, while combining for 42 points in their 82-78 quarter-final win against Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell.

Speaking at Tuesday’s media day ahead of the final Watkins said: “We know this is going to be an incredible challenge. Our last game against Trinity went to overtime after we had taken a lead, so we’re preparing for every eventuality just like they will be. This is my first championship game since I was in high school, so I am really excited to just get on the floor in front of our fans and hopefully we will be celebrating after the buzzer.”

Trinity Meteors are attempting to end a 30-year wait for a Domino’s Women’s Super League title, having last won it in 1995/96. They’ve already eliminated two-time defending champions Killester 76-74 in an overtime thriller in semi-finals, while edging past SETU Waterford Wildcats 72-69 in the quarter-finals. 

Catherine Connaire feels that those close contests will stand them in good stead as they prepare to face Glanmire in the final. “It was always going to be a tight game against Killester. They’d beaten us and we had beaten them during the regular season, so we were just delighted to come out the right side of that one. Sunday means so much to the club, so much to the players. It’s been thirty years since we’ve been in this position and - although we lost twice already to Glanmire during the year -  they were also really tight games, so we’re just really looking forward to the opportunity to come out on the right side with a trophy on Sunday.” Connaire stated.

The Domino’s Men’s Division One final on Saturday pits Limerick Sport Eagles against Titans, with promotion to the Domino’s Men’s Super League on the line. Titans have never played in the Super League, their head coach Erin Bracken became the first female coach in the men’s game to pick up the ‘Domino’s Men’s Division One Coach of the Month’, when she claimed up March’s prize, as she steered the Galway club to an impressive 80-55 win at local rivals Maree in the semi-finals.

Limerick Sport Eagles are seeking a league and cup double, having already won the Domino’s MD1 National Cup title. The South Conference winners defeated Drogheda Wolves 88-64 in the last four, in repeat of January’s Cup final. 

Cleveland Rockets face Limerick Celtics in the Domino’s Women’s Division One playoff final at , with both sides seeking promotion to the Domino’s Women’s Super League for the first time. Saturday’s final pits the top two from the regular season, with Rockets finishing with a 14-4 record and Celtics on 13-5. Rockets got past University of Galway Mystics and Templeogue in the knockout stage, while Limerick Celtics eliminated Swords Thunder Limerick Sport Huskies.